Apparatus for packaging a plurality of cylindrical articles



J. DOREAU Sept. 1970 APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING A PLURALITY 0F CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'iled- Sept 6 1968 FIG?) Q I J- D OREA U APPARATUS FOR PACKAGiNG A PLURALITY 0F CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Filed sept. e; 1968 5 Sheets-Shegt 2 APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING A PLURALITY OF CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Filed Sept. 6, 1968 J. DOREAU Sept. 8; 170

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 J. DOREAU APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING A PLURALITY 0F CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Filed Sept. 6. 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet t J. DOREAU I Sp't. s, 1970 I APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING A ILURALITY 0F CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES f Filed Sept. 6, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 015cc 3,527,016 Patented Sept. 8, 1970 3,527,016 APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING A PLURALITY F CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Jacques Doreau, Bois-Colombes, France, assignor to Societe a responsabilite Limitee dite: Cartonnages du Val de Seine, Saint-Denis, France Filed Sept. 6, 1968, Ser. No. 757,809 Claims priority, application France, Sept. 6, 1967, 120,205; Aug. 23, 1968, 164,074 Int. Cl. B65b 11/10 US. Cl. 5348 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A package for a number of cylindrical cans or the like arranged in two rows wherein a sheet of cardboard is folded around the cans and includes two upper edge portions which are interengaged at notches formed in the edge portions such that one part of one edge portion overlies one part of the other edge portion whereas the other part of the first edge portion is beneath the other part of the other edge portion. The edge portions may be secured by integral locking flaps which are forcibly inserted into apertures.

A machine for forming a package of the above type includes distributor wheels which feed the cams in two rows, in appropriate number, onto advancing sheets and first and second sets of inclined rails which respectively upfold the sides of the sheets and fold down the overlapped edge portions in cooperation with a device which causes the edge panels to become interengaged at said notches.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to packages for a plurality of cylindrical articlesarranged in two rows, and to a machine for forming such packages.

Already known are packages made of a cardboard sheet that is folded in the shape of a rectangular tube around the articles and the two edges of which are overlapped and, assembled by means of locking flaps articulated around a longitudinal fold line. These packages require a machine for their production which generally operates in upside down position, the cardboard sheets arriving above the cans and being assembled from below by means of alternately moving fingers securing the insertion of the locking flaps.

The assembly of the two edges of the sheet is not always capable of resisting accidental hooking of the upper edge by reason of the very manner of the folding of the locking flaps, and this may cause an immediate opening of the package and discharge of its contents. Furthermore, when an additional object must be included, for instance a publicity article such as a key holder, slots have to be provided in the package and the article has to be later introduced into it.

An object of this invention is to provide a package of the above type having greater strength and the manufacture of which can be effected automatically by means of a very simple machine.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a package for a member of cylindrical articles such as cans arranged in two rows and comprising a sheet folded around the cans and including edge panels which are overlapped in secured relation, each edge panel having a notch therein dividing the panel into two parts, said panels being interengaged at the notches such that one part of one edge panel overlies one part of the other edge panel while the other part of said one edge panel is beneath the other part of said other edge panel.

The edge panels of the package'are locked preferably,

by the forcible insertion of integral flaps into apertures in the panels. Advantageously, the flaps have lateral locking tabs which engage beneath the edge panels at the apertures.

The invention also contemplates a machine for the assembly of such package which comprises conveyor means for advancing sheets one by one in spaced relation, distributor means for feeding two rows of cylindrical articles onto successive advancing sheets, said distributor means comprising a guide channel for two rows of cylindrical articles, and two rotatable distributor wheels at the end of the guide channel, said wheels having a plurality of peripheral indentations each for engaging and advancing an article such that a plurality of articles equal to the number in each row in a package are simultaneously advanced by each wheel, said wheels also having solid peripheral portions for periodically interrupting advance of the articles, a first set of inclined members adjacent said conveyor means downstream of the distributor wheels for upwardly folding each sheet at the sides thereof to laterally bound the two rows of articles, a second set of inclined members downstream of the first set for downwardly folding the sides of the sheet to form overlapped upper edge panels, said sheets having notches therein at said edge panels, said machine further comprising means adjacent said second set of inclined members and cooperating therewith to cause the edge panels to be interengaged at said notches as the edge panels are overlapped such that a portion of one edge panel on one side of the notch overlies a portion of the other edge panel while the portion of said one edge panel is beneath the other portion of the other edge panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a flat cardboard sheet;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view diagrammatically illustrating the essential parts of a machine for forming a package;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the package during the forcible insertion of a locking flap;

FIG. 4 is a'perspective view of the completed package;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another package;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a modified version of the distributing wheels of the machine; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modified version of a portion of the mechanism of the machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The package according to the invention is assembled starting with a rectangular sheet of carboard 1 which is cut out in the manner represented in FIGv 1. More particularly, the sheet 1 includes a bottom 2 adapted to receive the articles to be packaged, for example, six cans 3 in the illustrated embodiment. This bottom 2 is laterally limited by cut-outs 4 in the shape of arcs of circles which assume the form of the contour of the cans 3. Between the cut-outs 4 are cardboard strips 6 secured along fold lines 5, and having a length equal to the height of the cans 3 for forming the sides of the package.

On these strips 6, around the folding lines 7, are two articulated panels 8 constituting the edge of the sheet and adapted to cooperatively engage and form the top of the package. The panels 8 include cut-outs 9 in the shape of arcs of circles placed between the folding lines 7. Additionally, the panels 8 are provided, midway of their length, with notches 10, each formed, for example, by an inclined edge 11 and a curved edge 12. Each notch divides the associated edge 8 into two parts :13, 14 and part 13 of one edge 8 is adapted to be placed above the part 14 of the other edge 8. In this way, by crossing the two panels 8 at their notches *10, each of the parts 13 comes in place above the part 14 of the other panel.

In order to secure the locking of the edges, each of the parts 13 has two locking flaps 15 each articulated around a transverse folding line 16 such that the flaps face in opposite directions. The locking flaps 15 have a trapezoidal shape, as shown in FIG. 1, and their sides are extended by small tabs 17 themselves articulated to the corresponding flap 15 along folding lines 18.

Each of the parts 14 is provided with cut-outs 19 at a location at which the cut-outs 19 are beneath the flaps 15 of the part 13 which covers it. Each cut-out 19 forms a flap 20, articulated around a transverse folding line 21, and the flap 20 can be forced under at the same time that the flap 15 comes thereabove in order to provide openings in which flaps 15 can be lockably inserted. One of these cut-outs may be disposed at the edge of the cardboard sheet, as shown in FIG. 1.

In order to automatically effect the packaging of the cans according to the invention, the machine illustrated in FIG. 2 may be used. This machine includes, at the left of FIG. 2, a cardboard sheet distributor, of a known type,

for transporting the sheets one by one from a pile by means of an alternately moving suction grip, operated for example by a compressed air jack. The sheets are set on a table including two endless chains 22 that extend along all the length of the machine and which are provided, at spaced locations, with brackets 23, for advancing the cardboard sheets with the chains.

The machine additionally includes a driving plate 24 that receives the cans from an inclined roller conveyor 25 and pushes them into a channel formed by two profiled bars 26 and by a second roller conveyor 27 under which the cardboard sheets are passing. At the end of this channel, two-distributing wheels 28 are placed each including three substantially semi-circular indentations 29 followed by a solid part 30. By this arrangement, when the wheels 28 revolve at a uniform speed in the direction represented by the arrows 31, each wheel advances three cans for making up one of the two rows, then passes through an interval before advancing the next batch of three cans.

These cans as they come out of the distributor are directly deposited on the bottom 2 of a cardboard sheet passing therebeneath and they are driven by the brackets 23 together with the cardboard sheet. A guide channel for the cans is formed by horizontal bars 32 terminating in an upwardly flaring inclined part 33 fastened to a crossbar 34 placed above the machine.

Other bars 35 are inclined and positioned relative to the path of travel of sheets 1 and are formed in such a way to progressively raise the lateral parts of the sheet 1 to a vertical position and horizontal parts 36 extending beyond the channel hold the lateral parts vertical. Finally, inclined plates 37 extending from the crossbar 34 effect both a downward movement of the edges 8 and a concurrent movement of the edges together towards the center in order to press the panels 8 against the top of i the cans 3.

At the same time, a fixed sheet metal part 38, one end 39 of which is fastened to the inclined part of one of the bars 32, and which is further secured by a support 40 attached to the bar 34, is placed above the ensemble of the cans in a transversely inclined position so that under the effect of the inclined planes 37, the two panels 8 of each sheet are crossed, and the part 13, placed at the front in relation to the direction of travel, comes above the corresponding part 14, while the part 13 placed at the rear is held in raised position by the sheet metal part 38 and the part 14 placed at the rear is passed under this sheet metal part. The result is that the notches 10 are engaged in a proper position during the progressive lowering of the panels 8.

The ends of the parts in the arcs of circles 9 of the panels 8 are laterally pressed by free rollers 41 when passing through tthe folding stage of the sheet. Finally, at the end of the machine there is provided a wheel 42 having wedges 43 and revolving around a horizontal axle 44. Wheel 42 rolls on the top of the package in such a way that the wedges effect the successive engagement of the four locking flaps 15 in the openings formed by cutouts 19.

FIG. 3 shows in particular the movement that produces both the forcible insertion of a flap 15 and the folding under of a flap 20. This forcible insertion automatically produces a raising of the tabs 17 around the folding lines 18, and as soon as the insertion is completed, the tabs are spread under the part 14 of the panel 8 to insure a final locking.

Naturally, the wedge wheel 42, as well as the distributing wheels 28, make one revolution per package, that is to say one revolution for each progression of the chains 32 corresponding to the space between two brackets 23, and the wedges 43 are distributed around the wheel at particular locations in order to act exactly upon the locking flaps. The chains 22 also insures the synchronization of the feeding controls for compressed air for the jack and for vacuum for the suction grip of the cardboard distributor.

It is easily understood that the machine according to the invention may be short and extremely simple since, except for the cardboard distributor, all the movements are continuous movements realized by means of positive transmissions, (not represented) such as chains and gears.

On the other hand, the cardboard package, due to the crossing of the two panels 8 and the four locking means at each transverse folding, effected alternately in opposite directions and simultaneously relating to the part 13 and the part 14 of each panel 8, is extremely strong and withstands all handling without risk of opening and without using either glueing or stapling.

The modified package represented in FIG. 5 is in every way similar to the package previously described in connection with FIGS. l-4, with the difference that the cutouts 4 and 9 located near the folding lines 5 and 7 are just large enough to allow the insertion of the sealed edges of the cans 3. The sides 6a of the package, are substantially uninterrupted and replace the series of strips 6. Of course, it is nevertheless possible to provide desirable apertures in these sides 6a in order to make the cans partly visible. The two edges 8 cross and are assembled in the same manner as described in FIGS. 1-4.

The package according to the invention is particularly suitable for packing groups of cans of particularly small size usually having the same diameter and existing in two different heights. According to commercial needs, the cans may be grouped in four, six, eight or ten.

In order to allow the machine to be easily adapted to the number and height of the cans, a can distributor is employed made of two wheels including two spaced parts 28 whose thickness and position in height are such as to avoid the top and bottom seals of the two heights of cans. Each of these wheels is designed to distribute at each revolution or at each half revolution, as in the embodiment represented in FIG. 6, the maximum number of cans for each row, that is to say five in the example represented. Therefore, each wheel carries five indentations 29 on each side between two full parts 30. When a full part 30 is offered, it temporarily interrupts the distribution of the cans in such a way that the last can corresponds to the back edge of the cardboard, that is to say to the driving brackets 23 carried by the chains 22.

When the number of the cans is to be changed, for example when it is to be 6 as represented in FIG. 6, filler pieces 47 are inserted to fill one or more indentations 29 and thereby extend the corresponding full part 30 at the rear, in relation to the direction of travel, as represented by the arrow 31. Under these conditions, the first cans of each row are cut off and the last can of each row, limited as before by the beginning of the full part 30 that follows, keeps arriving at the level of the brackets 23, which therefore require no setting. The only change to be made to the distributor 28 is therefore to fix, by adequate means, the filler pieces 47 or else to replace or remove th'esepiece's depending" on the numberof cans to be fed. x

As shown in FIG. 7, at the other end of the machine, the inclined planes 35 are replaced with shoes 35a the profiled inside part of which produces the vertical raising of the sides of the cardboard sheet 1 which arrives a little before the endof the walls '32 of the can guide channel. The height of the shoes 35a corresponds to the smaller height of the cans and these shoes whichare permanently fixed on'the machine, are surmounted by complementary'parts 35b that provide the necessary increase in height when "the cans "of greater height are used. These complementary parts 35b are removable in orderto allow rapid change of height.'For that reason each part 35b is integral with a rod 48 that is housed in a vertical bore of the sho'e35a where a screw 49 locks the rod.

'At the tear on each side of the'two parts'35b are vertical bores in which are inserted cylindrical columns 50 having flanges 51, the lower end of the columns being locked in the shoes 35a by screws 52. The two columns 50 are integral with a removable frame 53 comprising a crossbar 54 which joins the tops of the columns 50 and supports a stringer 55 the rear part of which is connected by a column 56 with a transverse bar 57 fixed to the end of twostringers 58 connected perpendicularly to the column 50 above the flange 51. At its other end, the stringer 55 carries a stirrup member 59. The two inclined rails 37, which fold the edges 8, are fixed at one end under the arms of the stirrup member 59 and at the other end they terminate in elbow parts 60 fixed to the transverse bar 57. The end of the stringer 55 carries a column 61 ahead of the stirrup member 59, and an oblique blade 62 is secured to column 61 to effect crossing of the edge panels 8, one on the other.

The wheel 42 carrying the wedges 43 is integral with axle 44 driven in rotation by means of an appropriate transmission, and axle 44 is supported in two bearings 63 integral with a plate 64 that is vertically slidable on two slides 65. Sliding movement of plate 64 is produced by a driving wheel 66 having a hub which is screwed onto a screw 67 integral with the plate 64. The low and high positions of this plate bring the wheel 42 into the proper positions so that it rolls on the top of the packages for the two heights of cans under consideration. For each of these heights the plate 64 is locked by means of screws (not shown).

The wheel 42 is constructed similar to the can distributors of FIG. 6, and preferably includes two diametrally opposed sectors 68 corresponding to the intervals between two packing operations and a certain number of wedges 43 corresponding to the longest packages. This wheel revolves a half revolution per package and for the shorter packages only the last wedges are used.

Finally, the axle 44 carries a cam 69 adjacent the wheel '42, said cam 69 being provided with two diametrally opposed bosses 70 acting on a roller 71 carried by a small lever 72 articulated at 73 on a fork joint 74 integral with the transverse bar 57, this small lever 72 itself being integral with a large lever 75, which carries near one end a finger 76 provided with a roller 77 that periodically presses the top of the packages in order to complete the crossing of the edge panels 8. The lever 75 carries a weight 78 designed to increase its inertia in order to avoid rebounding. Finally, a return spring 79 acts on the lever 75 to raise the same. The finger 76, as well as the column 61 carrying the blade 77, are preferably adjustable in length, one on the lever 75 and the other on the stringer 55 in order to allow an adjustment when the length of the packages is modified.

In these conditions, it is clear that if the length of a package is to be changed, that is to say if the number of the cans is to be changed, it is enough to replace the pile of cardboard sheets 1 with sheets of appropriate length and, to place, replace or take off the parts 47 on the distributing wheels 28 and to adjust the position of the finger 76 and the column 61, all the other settings being unchanged. If the height of the cans is to be changed, there is nothing to change in the distributor and it is sufficient to lower the plate 64, by means of the driving wheel 66, when the height of the cans is reduced, while the removable frame 53 is withdrawn vertically in order to allow removal of the complementary parts 355 from the shoes, whereafter the frame 53 is replaced by introduction of the columns 50 into the corresponding bores until the flanges 51 come to rest on the top of the shoes 35a, which automatically achieves the new level for the frame and the mechanism carried thereby. Conversely, in order to increase the height, the revers operations are effected.

It is then obvious that even with this adjustable capability, the machine offers extreme simplicity and affords a great number of package sizes. Its principal advantage is to operate with continuous motions, which simplifies the mechanisms noticeable and allows to increase the output by virtue of the use of the described package and in particular the locking edge panels thereof.

It would however be possible, as a variation, to obtain a package in which the edge panels are crossed, but instead of assembling the panels by locking flaps, clamping or sealing is employed. In order to obtain this sealing, a self-adhesive product may be spread in narrow strips on the cut out cardboard sheets 1 beforehand. These strips would be secured together when the two parts of the edge panels are pressed against each other by the wheel 42 (which then would not include wedges or sectors). Strips of a thermosetting product could also be spread on the edge panels in which case, a heat roller would replace wheel 42.

As a variation, it is also possible to coat the cardboard sheet entirely with polyethylene in order to also allow the thermosetting with a heat roller. Finally, it is equally possible to effect gluing by adding to the removable frame 53, a glue coating device that would apply glue lines on the edge panels. In all these cases, the crossing of the edge panels considerably improves the rigidity and strength.

Finally, in contrast with the conventional mechanisms, it is clear that if a publicity article, such as a key holder or the like, is to be introduced into the intervals between the cans, for example at the place indicated by 45 in FIG. 2, this can very easily be achieved in the indicated position, that is to say before the inclined planes have upfolded the lateral parts of the cardboard sheet. This place is indeed particularly accessible to the operator or a mechanism for supplying such articles.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for the assembly of a package constituted by two rows of cylindrical articles and a sheet folded around the articles, said machine comprising conveyor means for advancing sheets one by one in spaced relation, distributor means for feeding two rows of cylindrical articles onto successive advancing sheets, said distributor means comprising a guide channel for two rows of cylindrical articles, and two rotatable distributor wheels at the end of the guide channel, said wheels having a plurality of peripheral indentations each for engaging and advancing an article such that a plurality of articles equal to the number in each row in a package are simultaneously advanced by each wheel, said wheels also having solid peripheral portions for periodically interrupting advance of the articles, a first set of inclined members adjacent said conveyor rneans downstream of the distributor wheels for upwardly folding each sheet at the sides thereof to laterally bound the two rows of articles, a second set of inclined members downstream of the first set for downwardly folding the sides of the sheet to form overlapped upper edge panels, said sheets having notches therein at said edge panels, said machine further comprising means adjacent said second set of inclined members and cooperating therewith to cause the edge panels to be interengaged at said notches as the edge panels are overlapped such that a portion of one edge panel on one side of the notch overlies a portion of the other edge panel which the other portion of said one edge panel is beneath the other portion of the other edge panel.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sheets have integral, pivotable locking flaps therein and apertures which are aligned with said flaps with the edge panels overlapped, said machine further comprising a rotatable wheel driven in synchronization with the conveyor means and including peripheral wedges which engage the locking flaps and insert the same into the apertures as each sheet advances past the rotatable wheel.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1, comprising a rotatable wheel for engaging the edge panels to apply pressure thereto.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said rotatable wheel is heated.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said distributor wheels include means for blocking selective numbers of indentations to reduce the number of articles which are advanced by the wheels.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein said means for blocking the indentations comprises removable filler pieces which when secured to the wheels block selective indentions and extend the solid peripheral portions.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein said distributor wheels are vertically adjustable to advance different heights of articles.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first set of inclined members comprises two profiled shoes having a height corresponding to the lowest height of article to be packaged, and a removable portion adapted for being mounted on each shoe to raise the height to the maximum height of article to be handled.

9. A machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second set of inclined members includes an integral removable frame with two vertical columns insertable into said shoes, and having flanges thereon for establishing the level of said second set of inclined members relative to said shoes.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 9, comprising a rotatable wheel for engaging the edge panels to apply pressure thereto, and means for raising and lowering the wheel in accordance with the height of the articles.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein said wheel includes an axle, said machine further comprising a cam on said axle, a pivotable lever supported by said frame and engaged by said cam to be periodically displaced thereby, and a roller on said lever for periodically acting on the edge panels to complete interlocking thereof at said notches.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,918,765 12/1959 Currivan 53-48 3,032,945 5/1962 Currie et al. 53-48 3,l96,588 7/1965 Chidsey 5348 X THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner R. L. SPRUILL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 53209 

